How the camera became a totally different machine

For motor enthusiasts and muscle car fans, the 1960s were a very exciting time. Engines were getting bigger, power was increasing and motorsport rivalries were heating up at a wild pace. By now we’ve surely all heard the story of Ford taking on Ferrari, securing a couple of wins at Le Mans and beating them at their own game. But the Blue Oval brand has had rivalries building on its turf as well.

On the NASCAR circuit, Chrysler quickly took Ford’s crown, and all thanks to a new ace up the automaker’s sleeve – the 426ci Elephant HEMI engine. At the ’64 Daytona 500, Chrysler took the top three spots, firmly putting Ford in their place, demonstrating the impressive performance of its new HEMI V8. Not wanting to be overshadowed for too long, Ford engineers got busy in the shop, and their starting point was to remove the GT40’s oil-side 427-FE engine.

Now, Ford already knew the engine to be both strong and reliable due to previous racing successes, much of the engine was left largely untouched, save for changes to the gearing, a few updates to the 427’s lubrication system, and cross-bolt main bearing caps—the latter a necessity to handle the kind of grunt Ford had in mind for NASCAR dominance.

However, while the block was kept largely unchanged from the lumpy 427-FE, Ford engineers got busy working on the top end. The heads were completely redesigned with hemispherical combustion chambers, and the team opted for a single overhead camshaft design. This is where the engine’s nickname “Camer” comes from.

Read more: What is the difference between Ford 427 and Ford 428 engines?

Significant changes to the top differentiated the Cammer engine from its base 427-FE

Other changes included valvetrain changes such as larger, stainless steel valves in addition to a wild 6-foot timing chain. This came with complications, but Ford was able to make the design work by varying the cam timing to account for stretch under load, however this has forever remained a weakness of this truly impressive hemi engine.

It is reported that the engineering team needed just 90 days to transform the race-proven GT40 side-oil V8 into the powerful Cammer engine, and the resulting outputs are a testament to the good work done. With a single four-barrel carburetor attached, the Cammer put out no less than 616 horsepower and 515 lb-ft of torque, however, with a dual-carb setup, those numbers would swell to 657 and 575, respectively. The 427-FE, by comparison, produced between 485 and 505 horsepower in the GT40, which just goes to show how effective the modifications were done. To achieve these dizzying numbers, compression ratios for Camer were notoriously high – up to 12:1 was possible.

Now, numerous Dodge models were equipped with the 426ci HEMI engine, and while the road-spec cars were rated at 425 horsepower, the 426 in racing trim had a higher compression ratio, so performance would have been a bit livelier. While the legendary Elephant engine may have been beaten, the figures revealed by Cammer suggest that Ford had the tool for the job. Unfortunately, however, the Cammer would never see the track as Ford intended.

The regulations prevented Cammer from competing

After completely transforming the 427-FE engine into the legendary Cammer, with outputs ready to rock the NASCAR world, the powers that be quickly rained on Ford’s parade. Not only did Bill France, the guy at the top of NASCAR’s power tree in the mid-60s, decide that Ford’s new overhead cam design was too European for the American series, but the sanctioning body then proceeded to outlaw these more customized engines. The thinking behind this decision was that so-called “stock” cars were no longer so, and despite Ford’s valiant efforts to reverse these decisions, the result remained.

Well, for a short time anyway. In ’66, the engines were actually allowed, but only if Ford was competing with the larger Galaxie. Thus, the Blue Oval team would have a driver who weighed 430 pounds heavier than the competition, and at this point the brand decided to move away from NASCAR altogether.

With no production models produced with a Cammer under the hood and only 500 units ever produced, the engine is extremely rare these days. Especially in stock condition since so many have been modified for extra power in the drag racing scene. It’s a real shame that the story of the Ford 427 Cammer was cut short, but it still remains one of the most exciting chapters in Ford performance history and a true “what could have been” story for NASCAR.

How the 427 Cammer Influenced the Shooting Scene

With NASCAR out of business, Ford looked to find an alternative use for the Cammer engine, and the drag racing scene seemed like the ideal answer. The engine was rare, but Ford made sure key figures in the scene had access to the SOHC V8. This includes legends like Tom Hoover, Pete Robinson and Connie Kalitta – all nitro racers of the era.

For these racers, the Cammer engine made a great base, but it wasn’t race-ready right out of the box. The main problem was the nearly seven-foot timing chain, but Pete Robinson – along with the help of other industry professionals – redesigned the timing system into a gear drive. Once modified accordingly, the engine excelled in Top Fuel dragsters, with notable examples appearing at the US Nationals in ’67, in addition to finding homes in the era’s flip-top funny cars.

Finally, the lack of engine would soon put a stop to the fun. Despite big names like Connie Kalitta continuing to champion the engine in Top Fuel applications, it was simply too rare for others to join in and use Cammers. When they do show up, they pack serious numbers – even the breeding heads fetch big bucks when they surface for sale.

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